Cooperation among developing nations key to achieving new anti-poverty goals, says Ban

“All developing countries, regardless of size or level of development, have accumulated capacities and experiences that can be shared,” the United Nations chief told a high-level discussion on South-South cooperation, the term used to describe relations between developing countries, which he co-hosted together with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“South-South cooperation will play a key role in the implementation of Agenda 2030 and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said, a day after the General Assembly adopted the blueprint to wipe out extreme poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change over the next 15 years.

Noting that China has lifted millions of people from extreme poverty and is a leader in advancing South-South cooperation, Ban said that countries from the South have become key drivers of global growth.

“The fact that many of the MDGs have been met is largely due to the leadership, strong focus and contributions of developing countries,” he went on, referring to the previous 15-year Millennium Development Goals adopted by a UN summit in 2000.

Outlining the full spectrum of South-South cooperation, he highlighted trade and foreign resource transfers, infrastructure financing, remittances, foreign direct investment, technology transfer and capacity development to regional integration.

He also cited agricultural and rural development programmes connecting farmers to markets, building rural infrastructure, strengthening collective bargaining power for smallholder farmers and improving access to finance and extensive services.

“These programmes contribute to greater agricultural productivity and reductions in poverty, hunger and malnutrition,” Ban stressed at the discussion, held on the margins of the three-day summit on sustainable development at UN Headquarters.

“Replicating and adapting these examples through South-South and triangular cooperation can provide cost-effective and replicable solutions to the challenges faced by many developing countries,” he added, pledging the full commitment of the entire UN system to help developing countries achieve the 2030 Agenda.

Photo: FAO